# US 10,118,529 B2 · Intermodal storage and transportation container > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,529 B2 - Document ID: US10118529B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/622,543 - Filed: 2017-06-14 - Published: 2017-09-28 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-04-12 - Assignees: Proppant Express Solutions, LLC - Applicants: Proppant Express Solutions, LLC - Inventors: Kenneth W. Eiden, III; Brian Andrew Hunter; Mathew Carley; Timothy Stefan; Mark D'Agostino; Scott D'Agostino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118529B2 ## CPC - B60P 1/56: the load-transporting element having bottom discharging openings - B65D 88/12: specially adapted for transport (associated with vehicles, see the relevant subclasses of B60 - B64) - B65D 88/30: specially adapted to facilitate transportation from one utilisation site to another (collapsible hoppers B65D88/52) - B65D 88/32: in multiple arrangement - B65D 90/587: {having a linear motion} - B65D 90/66: Operating devices therefor - B65G 65/42: using belt or chain conveyors - B65D 2547/04: Closures with discharging devices other than pumps - B65D 2590/664: actuating mechanism other than manual, e.g. pneumatic, electropneumatic, hydraulic, electromagnetic - B65G 15/08: the load-carrying surface being formed by a concave or tubular belt, e.g. a belt forming a trough - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract An intermodal container for transporting frac proppant, such as frac sand, and/or other types of granular material is disclosed. The intermodal container is designed to receive frac sand from a quarry or other frac sand supply source. Once the container is filled with material, the container is loaded onto a transportation device and transported to a well site. Once received at the well site, the containers can be stacked and the frac sand stored until needed. Once the frac sand is needed, the containers are placed on a base unit and the container discharges its contents onto a conveying system formed as part of the base unit. The conveying system directs the frac sand to a blending location. The empty intermodal containers can be removed from the base unit and loaded onto a transportation device to be refilled at a mine site. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A container for carrying a fracking proppant such as sand, comprising: a support frame; a storage body mounted within the support frame and having an open interior to receive a supply of the fracking proppant and a discharge opening; a manually operable slide gate positioned beneath the discharge opening and selectively movable between an open and a closed position, the slide gate including a control plate and a threaded control rod each mounted to the support frame, wherein rotation of the threaded control rod moves the control plate to a selected position between the open and closed positions; a load door mounted to a top wall of the storage body and movable between a closed position to cover a loading opening in the storage body and an open position to provide access to the loading opening; and a central opening formed in the load door, wherein fracking proppant can be loaded into the open interior of the storage body through the central opening when the load door is in the closed position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1 further comprising a top hatch mounted to the load door and movable to selectively cover the central opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The container of claim 2 further comprising a filler cone mounted to the load door and movable into alignment with the central opening when the top hatch member is positioned away from the central opening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1 wherein the discharge opening is located such that the discharge opening of a first container is aligned with the central opening of a second container when the first container is stacked above the second container. ### Claim 5 A distribution system for delivering a fracking proppant, such as sand, to a blender at a well site, comprising: a base unit having a pair of spaced support rails each extending from a first end to a second end, the base unit including a plurality of mounting locations; at least one container supported on the base unit at each of the mounting locations, wherein each container includes a support frame and a storage body supported by the support frame for holding a supply of the fracking proppant and having a discharge opening; a slide gate mounted to and supported on the container, wherein the slide gate is positioned beneath the discharge opening; a gate control mechanism operable to move the slide gate between an open position and a closed position, wherein the entire gate control mechanism and the slide gate are both mounted to the support frame of the container and are both movable with the container as the container is placed on and removed from the base unit; a conveyor belt supported beneath the pair of support rails and extending from the first end to the second end; a plurality of support rollers mounted beneath the support rails to support the conveyor belt; a discharge chute located in each of the mounting locations and aligned with the discharge opening of one of the storage containers when the storage containers are supported on the base unit; and an actuator positioned on the base unit and coupled to each of the discharge chutes to control the amount of fracking proppant delivered from the container onto the conveyor belt. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The distribution system of claim 5 wherein the discharge chute includes an adjustable gate coupled to the actuator, wherein the adjustable gate is movable relative to the discharge chute to control the amount of fracking proppant dispensed onto the conveyor belt. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The distribution system of claim 6 wherein the actuator is a hydraulic cylinder coupled to the adjustable gate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The distribution system of claim 5 further comprising a controller coupled to each of the actuators such that the controller controls the discharge of the fracking proppant onto the conveyor belt at each of the mounting locations. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The distribution system of claim 5 wherein the gate control mechanism of the slide gate is independently operable from the actuator of the discharge chute. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The distribution system of claim 5 wherein the slide gate includes a mounting block, wherein the mounting block receives a threaded control rod of the gate control mechanism such that rotation of the threaded control rod moves the mounting block along the control rod. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The distribution system of claim 10 wherein the threaded control rod includes a drive nut. ### Claim 12 A distribution system for delivering a fracking proppant, such as sand, to a blender at a well site, comprising: a base unit having a pair of spaced support rails each extending from a first end to a second end, the base unit including a plurality of mounting locations; at least one container supported on the base unit at each of the mounting locations, wherein each container includes a support frame and a storage body supported by the support frame for holding a supply of the fracking proppant and having a discharge opening; a slide gate mounted to and supported on the container, wherein the slide gate is positioned beneath the discharge opening; a gate control mechanism that is manually operable to move the slide gate between an open position and a closed position, wherein the slide gate and the entire gate control mechanism are mounted to the support frame of the container and are movable with the container as the container is placed on and removed from the base unit; a conveyor belt supported beneath the pair of support rails and extending from the first end to the second end; a plurality of support rollers mounted beneath the support rails to support the conveyor belt; a discharge chute located in each of the mounting locations and aligned with the discharge opening of one of the storage containers when the storage containers are supported on the base unit; a clam shell gate positioned at each of the discharge chutes and selectively movable between an open position and a closed position; and an actuator coupled to each of the clam shell gates to control the amount of fracking proppant delivered from the container onto the conveyor belt. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The distribution system of claim 12 further comprising a controller coupled to each of the actuators such that the controller controls the position of each of the clam shell gates through operation of the actuators. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The distribution system of claim 13 further comprising a user interface device in communication with the controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The distribution system of claim 14 wherein the user interface device is in wireless communication with the controller. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The distribution system of claim 12 wherein each slide gate is selectively movable independent of the movement of the clam shell gate to selectively control the discharge of the fracking proppant from the container. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The distribution system of claim 12 wherein the slide gate includes a mounting block, wherein the mounting block receives a threaded control rod of the gate control mechanism such that rotation of the threaded control rod moves the mounting block along the control rod. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The distribution system of claim 17 wherein the threaded control rod includes a drive nut that is configured to receive a drive member.